8:20 ferry from Brodick to Ardrossan, taxi to Ayr, train to Stranraer. The ferry, a great big car ferry, is so smooth I thought we were late in departing, when, in fact, we were already quite underway! Taxi was waiting as promised, but then had 1 1/2 hours before train time. Normally that would not be so bad, but the station is being renovated, so nowhere to sit or have a latte or any little niceties at all. However, because of all the disruption to the station, there are helping people at every track, and my helping person said I could leave my bag. So I did. Off I went in search of something to eat. Found a dumpy little establishment and, at 10:00 a.m., ordered three scoops of ice cream. Delicious, even if not gourmet, and no sooner done than I noticed a much nicer shoppee next door where I could even have had a latte to go with, no doubt, but no tragedy. Struck up a conversation with a woman who runs 100 mile races, would you believe. "Well," she told me, "It really isn't so hard because you run slower than if you were running a marathon." Now, that explains the joy!
Stranraer is a town one could skip and not miss anything, but it has a grocery store, so here I am instead of in Portpatrick where the Southern Upland Way begins. And I am staying in a super nice place right on the water. Granted, it is a mile from town, so a distance to schlep provisions which I will have to buy plentifully tomorrow because there will not be any emporia for several days.
Taxied to the Logan Botanical Gardens this afternoon. They were, in a word, gorgeous. A few specimens:
I just love flowers growing from cracks in a wall. Maybe because it reminds me of a passage describing King Solomon's wisdom, or maybe because I just do, or maybe both:
There were fish, too:
And these happy happy whatevers:
The arboretum section of the gardens was heavenly. The smell alone divine. This here is old Mr. Tree trunk with massive bunion, or.....tumor:
Saturday, i.e. today, was a "rest day," so I walked to Portpatrick—the start of the Southern Upland way—about 13 miles after all was said and done—so much for the rest.
Some piece of equipment!
Pond, in a park and angry cob who gave a great big honk:
Taxied, again, this time to Portpatrick to OFFICIALLY begin the SUW, which, as you can see, is carved in stone:
Some lovely parts, especially the dramatic beginning along the coast:
Big rock with bird and boat:
Bossie:
Gates to another time.......and place:
At the very end of today's walk, could not find the B and B and ended up trudging well over a mile, uphill, through heavily bovine populated territory. FINALLY reached a road, flagged down a car, lady with the worst black teeth you have ever seen stopped and ferried me back down the road where I began, again, my search for the place. Phoned the proprietress, but between there being—if you are lucky—a one bar signal, and the lady's being very hard of hearing, it was not a simple conversation. Eventually arrived. This is how a 14 mile day becomes almost 17. Anyway, another really beautiful day and luxurious accommodation as reward.
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